


Warm Words and Frozen Hearts

by WithoutATracer



Category: Halloween Movies - All Media Types
Genre: Also I can't make tags well so I'll update as needed along with warnings, Also also in which I learned there are MANY nurse based stories, Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Literally no chance there won't be smut at some point, Reader-Insert, Sorry about that this is dedicated to my friend and she likes being associated with nurses, probably?, slow-burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2019-10-16 02:40:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17541095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WithoutATracer/pseuds/WithoutATracer
Summary: You, a completely new to the scene nurse, have been assigned to work at Smith's Grove Sanitarium. You know of the rather infamous patient housed within, but the idea doesn't bother you in the slightest. People are people, in your eyes, and you doubt you'll end up working with him anyway given the circumstances. When some choice words are said, though, you decide to take the situation into your own hands. - Takes place a year(ish) before the first events of Haddonfield, or at least begins that way. Please take note Michael and the situation in general will be a bit of a mix between the original and the 2007 version. I will also dig deep into psychology from personal research, so if that's not your cup of tea be warned. 'Because movie' has never really been a good excuse for me, woops. Rating is a bit shaky as I'm not entirely sure just how into detail I'll go, so I went with the highest JUST to be safe. (Last side note, the person I dedicated this to literally told me to name her as what I did, I am sorry.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The raccoon I found in the garbage](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=The+raccoon+I+found+in+the+garbage).



> So! First off let me apologize for the messy tags/summary. My writing style has always been 'wing-it' as when I plan thoroughly, things seem far too forced and stiff. I tend to update things as needed as I go along. Also to explain some of the things in my rather messy summary, I will be digging deeper into who Michael is as a person. Psychoanalysis is a passion of mine and even if everyone, creator included, believes Michael to be a monster I cannot agree. There is some very deeply rooted issues that I can see and can either relate to, or have researched as thoroughly as I can. I won't delve too deeply into what I don't personally know, however, as that simply doesn't feel respectful and I don't want to disrespect anyone in the process of trying. It may or may not come up in passing at least a little, but I will not try to claim or make it seem like I know what I do not. Still, if anything seems like an issue feel free to let me know! I'll either edit it if it's something I can't personally attest to, or explain in the following chapter's notes why I went that certain route.
> 
> This is also a slight attempt at giving Michael something of a 'better' path in life. There will still be death (implied or more, I'm not sure which yet), and he will still be rather impulsive. However, I truly feel like if some things had just been different for him, maybe, just maybe, he could have had some normalcy in his life. (Changes won't be super drastic though. He still won't be the type to speak, he won't be showy over emotions, etc.)

Somewhere out in the early morning darkness, an owl cried out its final warning of the night - within only a couple of hours, the first beams of light would come to break through the inky blackness. Up until today, you normally would have still been asleep at this time. In fact, that’s part of why you lived where you did. Hardly any traffic passed through such a secluded area as yours. It’s not like you were _entirely_ separated from the rest of humanity, not by any means. It was just a good twenty or so minute drive to actually get to town, and you were one of very few houses on this dead end road that branched off from the _main_ road. Trees lined the outskirts of your property, with a few peppered in various spots. One being near your window.

 

You looked out as you brushed through your hair, smiling faintly to yourself. Though he wasn’t there today, occasionally you’d see an owl looking in right back at you, though you’d only realize that whenever you went to get a glass of water late in the night. You could see a fog settling into the area, and you huffed out a small sigh. Of course there would be fog on the night - or… morning, you supposed - that you were meant to go into your first day of the job. _I guess waking up earlier was a good idea._ You knew that even if you left at the original time you had planned, it would still be dark. May as well leave even _earlier_ to account for the fog. It’s not like you could be penalized for arriving early. Late, on the other hand… well, needless to say, you doubted it would look very good to your supervisors. How were you to help patients when you couldn’t even handle arriving to work on time on your _first_ day?

 

Smith’s Grove Sanitarium. That’s where you were set to work. Apparently, nurse numbers were thinning. Not at a drastic rate by any means, but enough to be worrying. Supposedly, they were refusing to work with a certain patient. Still not all - there were some hopeful souls still around. Either that, or they simply didn’t care one way or another and brushed it all off. _That_ thought alone irritated you. Sanitarium or not, people were still _people_. You doubted you’d be set to work with him, anyway. If so-called _professionals_ who had worked in this field longer than you were giving up, why would they give you the chance unless they were absolutely desperate? You couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Even _if_ this guy was as difficult as the whispers had said, part of you wished you could at least offer him genuine company. _The world really just isn’t fair, is it?_

 

Of course, you knew who he was. You had known since you found the job. No, you had known since you _graduated_ , but you knew more after the fact. Of course you had done research on your new area of employment. You learned of the rather _infamous_ patient that resided there. Michael Audrey Myers. Of course, there was plenty you didn’t know, but you _did_ know that odds were, you weren’t going to actually learn anything new. At least, not anything that no one _else_ already knew. How old must he be, now? According to dates, he should have very recently turned twenty, right? _Fourteen years?_ You couldn’t stop the small pang in your heart at the thought. Regardless, you shook your head as if to clear  those thoughts, just as the sun would no doubt clear the fog outside come morning. Truly, there was no point in fussing. As much as you’d _like_ to help him, the likelihood of being allowed to so much as see him was slim. The chance that you would say or do anything to reach him was even smaller. From the talk you had heard, it sounded as if winning the lottery was more likely. _Still…_

 

It didn’t take very long to finish up getting yourself ready, both physically and mentally. Though the job would certainly come off as intimidating to others, you couldn’t be stressed. Sure, a _tiny_ bit anxious, but not even over the patients like most may be. For you, it was entirely just the simple nerves of a first day in a new job. The idea of feeling fear towards another person was ridiculous to you. You had grown up being taught to treat others with respect, no matter what, and you also knew from a young age you wanted to help people. That’s why you worked so hard, right? Odds are, these patients had _enough_ people treating them differently. You weren’t about to be one of them. They’ve obviously had enough bad cards dealt to them over the years, given their circumstances - it was time for them to finally find an Ace.

 

You glanced around your bedroom in one last effort to be _sure_ you left nothing behind. Only once you were comfortable in what you saw did you flip off the light, heading downstairs and into the cold and damp air of the darkness outside. You knew there was no point in wasting time contemplating any longer. _At least, not inside._ You thought to yourself, even as you locked the door and trotted to your car. There was a slight sense of urgency in you, though you couldn’t quite place why. You were making great time even _considering_ the fog.

 

The curiosity you felt left just as quickly as it had come though as you swung open your car door (perhaps a bit _too_ hard, admittedly), the sound seeming to echo in the silence of the night. Hopping in, you started it up with the lights following not long after. You could have sworn you saw a shadow fly off from the roof above your house. _There he is,_ you giggled softly to yourself, before murmuring to no one but the empty seat beside you, “I guess you decided to see me off, after all.” Suddenly feeling so much more relaxed, surprisingly, you left your home behind, hopeful that you would be able to at least make _something_ of a difference to someone.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

The drive felt far longer than you had anticipated. It wasn’t even _that_ far - maybe an hour or so. To some that may have sounded like a long commute but to you it was very quickly deemed worth it. Every time you glanced at the radio’s clock, however, the time just seemed _wrong._ Why was it going by so slowly? Part of you assumed it was simply the lack of any scenery. Or, rather, the lack of any _visible_ scenery. The fog refused to relent, the headlights  deterring what seemed to be only a few feet of the disorienting cloak. Internally, you hoped that it wouldn’t be like this _every_ night. You would push through if it did of course, but the night made the world feel more barren as it was. The swirls of fog only reinforced that thought.

 

It also seemed to reinforce a bit of paranoia. An hour came and went and, though the logical side of your brain told you that you left for the specific reason of driving a bit slower and safer, the worried side told you that you were lost. Part of you even considered pulling over to pull up the GPS on your phone but all of the horror stories you’ve heard in the past overcame that urge. Sure, this road wasn’t _deserted_ by any means but cars seemed to be so few and far between, you didn’t really feel comfortable being stationary. You were mentally kicking yourself for not having pulled up the GPS earlier. _Like, before I left._ You quietly murmured to yourself, a huff punctuating your sentence.

 

In your defense, when you first showed up at Smith’s Grove, you had found it relatively easy. You had come more to make sure you knew the area to prevent this _exact scenario_ from happening, in fact. Then again, you realized… that had been when the sun was already high in the sky, and there was no fog to cloud the area. Your only saving grace was the fact that you still had time to arrive early if you were actually lost. As worried as you were starting to become, you know that overthinking it would probably just lead to the event actually happening. Instead, you decided to let yourself relax a bit more in your seat and ponder how the day might go when you finally did arrive.

 

The basics were easy to assume. You would certainly meet at least _some_ of your coworkers and superiors. Maybe you would even be introduced to some of the patients. At least that was the assumption - you weren’t entirely sure how this particular sanitarium worked yet. Each no doubt had their own regulations, after all. You didn’t mind that regardless. At the very least that would mean that they care about their patients enough to take steps, whatever those steps may turn out to be. You wondered about the patients more than your coworkers, if you were being entirely honest. What kind of people would they be? What have they gone through?

 

Then, your mind traveled back to Michael. The curiosity from before started to surface once again, and you barely noticed as you started to worry your lower lip between your teeth. You weren’t afraid of him, surprisingly. Even as you got closer to your destination, you felt no fear towards the supposed _monster_ that was housed within. Just the budding curiosity and the wish that somehow, you could help him. You couldn’t, however, and you knew you couldn’t. No one could. No one tried. No one would let a newbie like you near him, either. You just knew it in your heart. Part of you wished you would be allowed, even just to _apologize_ to him. For what, you weren’t sure. You weren’t about to voice such thoughts either, not even to yourself. Even you knew that you sounded crazy. He was a _murderer._ Everyone said he was without a soul, beyond help.

 

_But is he really?_

 

Before you were able to ponder that question any further, your headlights finally pierced through the veil of fog just enough to meet that familiar looking fence. You slowed to a stop and couldn’t help but frown. The gate ahead looked foreboding enough during the day. At night, it looked more… _Like a prison._ You couldn’t stop that thought from crossing your mind just like you couldn’t stop the resulting shiver down your spine. Still, you kept your expression calm and were thankful for it once the morning guard wandered over, lightly knocking on your window. You nearly jolted at the sound despite your outwardly calm appearance, but quickly recovered as you rolled down your window.

 

“Good morning, ma’am. What’s your business here?” He looked you over as he spoke, as if that alone would answer his question. _Right. I’m new here. No one really knows me very well, yet._

 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m here for work. I start this morning. Have they told you about me? Is it okay for me to get my I.D.?” You only felt it right to ask. After all, he didn’t know you yet - the last thing you wanted to do was distress the man or make him feel threatened so early by moving too quickly. He gave you a small nod, and as you reached for your purse and began to search for your wallet, he began to speak again.

 

“I’m surprised to hear that. That you’re going to be working here now, I mean,” he started, obviously no stranger to casual conversation. You couldn’t quite blame him since he probably didn’t get much company out here. “So, who suckered you into working here?” _Well, someone sure thinks highly of their job, don’t they?_

 

“No one. I chose specifically to work here. Why?” You questioned as you finally found and handed him your I.D., though you were sure you already knew the answer. Pulling out a small flashlight to look over the details, he was quick to respond and prove you right. “Not many people willingly choose to work here, what with the reputation and all.” You had to suppress a small sigh as he handed back your I.D. Before you could come up with a proper response however, he continued, “looks like you’re all set. I’ll go ahead and open the gate. The path is a straight shot so you can’t miss the entrance, miss (L/N).”

 

You gave a small smile and thanked him, shifting again to put everything back as it was while he did as he promised. Normally you’d be quick to roll the window back up, especially given the time, but you figured you’d be safe enough here and not need to fuss over it until you were parked. Plus, for some reason it almost felt rude to do so before passing the guard up. Instead, you opted to wait. Once given the all clear, you continued your way through at a slower pace, calling out a “have a nice rest of your day!” as you passed. He returned the gesture and, though you couldn’t be sure over the sound of your own car, you could have sworn he added a quick _“be safe!”_

 

Man, talk about paranoid. You shook it off easily enough thankfully, and just as he said it didn’t take you long to find the parking near the entrance to the building. _Finally._ You finally rolled up the window, grabbed your things, and wasted no time in exiting the vehicle and making your way inside. Unsurprisingly, you had to show your I.D. again to get further into the building. _Also_ unsurprisingly, you got the same general line of questioning, much to your chagrin. Still, you bit your tongue even if only to keep some sort of good first impression. Needless to say you didn’t stick around to chat much, not that it seemed wanted in the first place.

 

Once fully inside the facility, you managed to find the elevator you were _pretty_ sure was the one you were meant to take. You remembered most of the directions and even if you did get something wrong, you still had some time. No worries, really. No one entered the elevator with you, nor did it stop early for anyone either. Once you had exited, you started to slowly walk down the hall. The light shone bright above your head, almost burning in comparison to the dim lighting outside. The walls felt all too white and only seemed to further illuminate the facility. It almost felt uncomfortable. _Almost._

 

You came to a stop in a wider reception area, though you saw no one at the desk at that moment. Had you arrived _too_ early? Maybe they were setting things up elsewhere? Before you could turn back and look for anyone, you heard a voice from behind you. “Ah, I assume you’re (Y/N)?” You nearly spun around a little _too_ quickly, only to meet the eyes of an older and rather tired looking man. Despite that, he still held something akin to confidence just in his body language alone, making it further apparent he worked here. Even if it hadn’t been obvious, you would have known exactly who that was. _Dr. Samuel Loomis._

 

Truthfully, you hadn’t expected to see him here. You had heard he didn’t come around as often as he did so long in the past. He didn’t entirely abandon his post by any means - he had simply been busier doing something else. What that was, you weren’t sure. As curious as you were, now wasn’t the time to be asking yourself questions. Not wanting to keep him waiting you quickly nodded before introducing yourself. At the very least, this must have meant you were in the right location.

 

He only further confirmed that thought as he gave a simple and small nod, not wasting time in speaking once again. “Well, I suppose I should say first and foremost it’s good to have another set of hands on staff. We’ve been a bit short staffed, though I can’t say I blame them.” _Can’t say he blames them?_ Your brows furrowed slightly, though if he took any notice he didn’t make it obvious. “I assume you’ll have some questions. Feel free to ask now - the day tends to get busier and harder to manage as the day goes on around here.”

 

Almost to his surprise, you were quick to do just as you were asked. “Well, who will I be working with? When will I get to meet them?” You asked, tilting your head ever so slightly to the side in curiosity. He let out a soft breath but before you could question why, he spoke. “Well, you’ll be working with whoever needs you. There’s next to no one you won’t work with, I’m sure. I can only think of one off the top of my head-”

 

“Michael?” The name escaped your lips before you could even think it through entirely, effectively interrupting the man. You instinctively wanted to cover your mouth or apologize, but held your ground regardless. The man shut his eyes, his next words coming out in something almost akin to a sigh. “He’s dangerous. No one will work with him unless he’s sedated, and at times handcuffs are necessary just for transporting him to another room. He will not-”

 

“Let me work with him.” Again, you interrupted. This time however it was on purpose, and the look Loomis gave you made you question if you somehow insulted his _mother_ instead of insisted on working with a patient. “Did you not hear a word I just said? He’s _dangerous._ You don’t know him like I do. You don’t know him like the other nurses do. There is no _point_ in working with a man like him. He will shut you down in your entirety, either by blocking you out, or _worse_ if you don’t take proper care. You will not be-”

 

“Sir, with all due respect, I’d like the chance. I’ll bargain with you. Cuff him if you must, but absolutely no sedation. Personally, I’d rather you go without the cuffs too, but I have a feeling you’ll refuse entirely in that case.” You stood firm, and fear refused to enter your mind. You weren’t sure why you were so adamant - though you had to admit the way he spoke irritated you. _Sedation?_ He was treating a _patient_ like some sort of wild animal. It quite frankly disgusted you.

 

For a moment that felt entirely too long to you, Loomis kept direct eye contact. Neither of you blinked, the only indication it wasn’t _quite_ as long as the stare off felt. Slowly, he allowed his gaze to wander away - not out of submission, but a vague sense of consideration. “He will be cuffed. Guards will be right outside the door. If you feel threatened _at all_ you are to call out to them. Once you’re out, regardless of what happens, I will decide if this will continue. Understood?” His voice sounded almost cautious, as if he couldn’t _believe_ he was about to do this.

 

You, on the other hand, let out a quiet breath of relief. You hadn’t even realized you had been holding it. “I understand. Thank you.” He took one final look at you, and you could swear just by the look in his eyes that he was already regretting this decision. “Very well. I’ll make the preparations. You just… go ahead and sit down. I’ll come back to retrieve you when everything is ready.”

 

You nodded immediately and did as you were told, half worried if you took too long he would change his mind. Thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case, and it didn’t take him long to exit the room. You looked up then, eyes meeting with a couple of nurses now behind the open desk nearby. When had they gotten there? _I guess I was more focused on other things, and I wasn’t facing that direction… they must have come back._

 

You tried to ignore their looks, instead closing your eyes and trying to envelop yourself in your own thoughts. How would you go about this little meeting? The last thing you wanted to do was appear to be like any of the others around here - it was becoming extremely obvious that Michael very rarely, if _ever,_ was treated with respect. Fear, yes. Not respect. You had never even seen the man, though. Would you be able to get a better judge of his character by seeing him? Maybe that would be better to formulate a plan of action?

 

Time passed at a snail’s pace, and after a while you couldn’t keep yourself from continuously checking the time on your phone. You were starting to get antsy. Why was it taking so long? An hour had already passed. _They better not be sedating him thinking I won’t notice. I will_ not _be happy._ As if reading your thoughts, Loomis cleared his throat from your left, making you jump up quickly from your seat like a far too tightly coiled spring. _Damn,_ how does he keep doing that?

 

“He’s ready. Unless you’ve changed your mind, follow me.” Without waiting for a response, he turned and began to walk down the hall he had originally gone, and you hurriedly gathered up your purse and slung it over your shoulder before half jogging to catch back up to him. “Remember what I said. If he threatens you in _any_ way-” Despite the fact you allowed him to speak without interruption, you stopped paying full attention. You were only tuned in enough to respond with quick ‘yes sirs’ as needed. It’s not that you wanted to be disrespectful. He didn’t even seem to notice, in fact. You were just getting tired of the warnings _already_. You couldn’t imagine what the patient must feel if you were getting tired of it after just one day. You understood the concern to a degree, but in truth you didn’t care. You weren’t _raised_ to fear others. You were raised to be kind, friendly, and give others a chance when the rest of the world wouldn’t.

 

Finally, you arrived at the end of the hall, two guards stood to the side of it and made it _clear_ they were armed. Not heavily by any means, but it was obvious they were just as uncomfortable with this as Loomis was. _No doubt for their own skins. Gross._ Once given the go ahead, one opened the door and you calmly walked into the cell, the door closing so quickly behind you that you could have sworn it was about to knock you to the ground if it had been just a second sooner.

 

You scanned the room casually and even though you didn’t stop to take note of much, you did notice some things you could talk about. That was on the back burner for now, however.

 

Before you sat a rather large man, long messy blonde hair covering a majority of his face. Unfortunately, but as expected, cuffs kept his wrists close together. Whether he fully noticed your presence or not, you weren’t sure. He didn’t seem to move at all upon your entrance. That wouldn’t deter you however, and you murmured in a soft tone,

 

“Good morning, Michael.”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all, I hope you enjoyed! This chapter is like, double the size of the last. Maybe it's still not much but for someone who has extremely sporadic, short bursts of motivation, I'm pretty content regardless. I'm excited to go on to the next chapter, and I hope this one meets expectations! <3


	3. Chapter 3

Had you not known better you would have expected some sort of response. Had you not known better, you also would have been _extremely_ disappointed in the lack of one. What you had researched, little as it was, at least prepared you for this. Luckily, you were quick enough on your feet when it came to conversation - you somewhat _had_ to be given your choice in profession, after all.

 

“I suppose I should introduce myself, huh? My name’s (Y/N), and even though I’m _technically_ here on the job, I need to make sure you’re aware I plan on being a bit different.” You started, humming almost inaudibly to yourself. You hoped that he wouldn’t take your words as some sort of threat, considering that _could_ be taken in a positive or negative way. Not wanting to take risks, you hurriedly continued. “With me, I have no plans on _forcing_ anything on you. I specifically asked that you not have any sedation,” you hoped they actually went _through_ with your request, since you had never even met the man before but you gave the benefit of the doubt and assumed this was normal, “in truth, I didn’t even want you to be restrained either. I knew that was the only way I’d be allowed in here for the time being, though. You’re not a wild animal, and in truth? I don’t care what the others care to say about you. I am not part of a hivemind - I am my own person with my own ability to form opinions.”

 

You paused for a short moment. Had you noticed the slightest shift? It almost looked like a bit of his hair fell a bit further to the side, even if you couldn’t quite be sure. Taking that as a hopefully good sign, you let a small smile grace your lips. “Sorry about that bit of a rant, by the way. Back on topic. I don’t plan on forcing you to speak at all, either. You don’t even have to fully acknowledge me if you don’t want to do so. Truthfully the only thing I want to do is speak to you, one-sided or not. Everyone deserves a friend, and you’ve been alone and secluded for far too long. _However,”_ Was he listened? God, you sure hoped he was. You were already starting to get nervous. Unlike the others though, it wasn’t against him. You were more nervous that he’d take your words poorly and refuse to give you any shred of a chance. You didn’t _care_ if you were proven wrong in the eyes of Loomis or the other nurses - what you cared about was providing for someone who needed it.

 

Taking a small breath, you continued a bit slower than before as you thought your words through. “However… if I _do_ say or do something that you do not like or agree with, please know that your opinion matters with me. There are plenty of ways you can communicate to me that aren’t verbal, and I think I can be quite perceptive. If for some reason I don’t understand something, I’ll just ask yes or no questions for you to nod or shake your head to until we come up with a few good signals that work for you.” Your eyes never left him as you spoke and you hoped beyond all else that he was at least looking at your face, that he could at least _see_ the sincerity in your eyes. Time would tell.

 

“May I sit down? I promise, I won’t mess with or touch any of your things. I can just sit on the floor for a bit while we talk.” Of course you knew it’d be less _we_ and more _you_ , but you wanted him to know he had just as much say in this as you did. Again, seemingly no response. You hoped that maybe that was a good sign. After all, if he _had_ been paying attention, he probably would have made it very clear if it _wasn’t_. You took only a few steps further into his little… _room_ for lack of better words before sitting on the floor, crossing your legs and resting your hands in your lap. You didn’t want to intrude on his space entirely by coming in too far but you also didn’t want to sit beside the door. That alone seemed disrespectful. You wanted him to know that you trusted him. You wanted him to know that you didn’t feel you _needed_ the guards outside.

 

“Is it okay for me to stay here, for the time being?” Even though you didn’t expect any answer, you were almost surprised when he slowly stood. He approached slowly, cautiously even. Whereas some no doubt would have taken it as a warning or even a downright _threat_ , you saw only cautious curiosity. You _were_ in his space after all, and unflinching at that. You simply tilted your head, your eyes not leaving his somewhat hidden face even as he got closer. In such a small space it didn’t take long for him to be almost directly in front of you - you noted that it was still far enough away that you wouldn’t be able to touch him without reaching. _He_ , on the other hand, certainly could if he want. _Jesus_ was he tall. It almost felt like time stood still for just that very moment, his head tilting ever so slightly to the left as he simply observed. You only caught the faintest glimpse of one of his eyes before he tilted it back as it was. _Blue. Tired. Blank._

 

The moment ended all too soon for you to even think of something to say however, and he then continued past you to sit on his bed to your left. It was out of your vision and you only knew because you could hear the rather uncomfortable creak of it. _Jeez, poor guy needs a better bed._ You were just getting ready to turn and face him but stopped yourself right before you did. Did he move to be comfortable? Or…

 

“Is it okay for me to face you, or would you rather I not look at you today? Since I can’t see, I’ll need an audible sign. Can you knock for me, on the wall? Once for no, twice for yes.” At first, you heard nothing. Then you realized your questions wording may have been a bit confusing. “Sorry about that, I guess I asked you two things huh? Let me rephrase. If you’d rather I not face you today, knock once. If you don’t mind, twice.” It almost appeared he wouldn’t give you anything yet again and you were about to just start speaking again before you heard it. A low, surprisingly soft, _knock_. In all honesty, you wondered if it had actually been _him_ and not something outside.

 

“I just want to be sure, that was you, right?” _Knock. Knock._ You couldn’t help the smile that appeared on your features, though you tried not to make it _too_ obvious how happy such a simple gesture had made you. “Thank you, Michael. Do you mind if I continue to talk? Of course, you can stop me at any time. We can sort that out if you’re actually okay with me sticking around for a little bit. One if you want me to leave, two if you don’t mind me staying.”

 

 _Knock._ It seemed almost as if that was all and your heart almost fell. You really had hoped you could at least give him someone to talk to (or at least, listen to.) Still, you had promised. You were about to stand when you heard one more smaller, obviously hesitant knock. You pause. Was that… two? Or was that one, and then another to _clarify_ he wanted you out? “I’m sorry, Michael. Was that two? Or were you clarifying one?” After another small bout of silence, you received your answer in the form of two closer together knocks. That alone made your heart ache. Why had he hesitated so much? Despite the urge, you knew not to question it.

 

“Thank you, Michael. I really do appreciate your time, I just want you to know that. Now, for signals… To keep it simple, let’s reserve one and two knocks for no and yes, respectively. If you want to have me elaborate on something, let’s do three. The most important is next. If you want me to drop whatever topic I happen to be on, five.” You hummed softly, before giggling quietly to yourself after hearing three more knocks. _Well, at least he understands the system._ “Is it because I skipped four?” _Knock knock._ “Well, I did that mainly so I can be _sure_. I don’t want to accidentally miss a knock and think you want me to continue the topic in detail. Five means that even if I manage to miss one, there will still be four that I hear. There’s no way I can mess that up. Is that okay with you?” Another two quick knocks.

  
Your smile only grew. He caught on quickly and you could certainly appreciate that. Though you knew it was only just beginning, you felt a small flame of hope simmering inside you. You knew that no matter how much progress you might make, his life wasn’t going to be easy. Especially not with the negativity that surrounded him. Still, if you could at least _be there_ for him, and he allowed that… it seemed that might be a good step forward for the both of you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's another chapter through! I'm actually relatively surprised that I've had so much motivation for this. Normally, it takes a long time for me to write nearly... well, anything. Still, I won't complain! Also a note: If Michael seems a bit passive, just remember I'm going based entirely on the psychology and research I've done along with my own sets of theories. I'm hoping I'll find a way to somewhat work in explanations at a later time throughout the story itself. The point of this isn't to paint him as a demon, after all. He has killed, but he is also far more complex, in my opinion, than many people give him credit for. I truly just hope I can do both him and the situation itself justice. Thank you so much to those who are taking time out of your days to read through this! It means a lot more to me than I could ever truly put into words. I hope I can do you all proud. <3
> 
> Oh, one last sidenote - I apologize it seems like nothing really happened this chapter. In a technical sense, I suppose it didn't. If this were a movie the scene would probably be... what, maybe 5 minutes tops? Still, the stuff I have next is (I think) going to be longer, so I figured it'd be best to split into two rather than cram all into one. I'm trying to keep chapters vaguely consistent so they don't change length too drastically. Of course that's subject to change if I just can't split something in a good enough way, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it! At least there's some technical progress in other ways.


	4. Chapter 4

“The old man sure is a bit of a jerk, isn’t he?” You couldn’t help but start off with a small joke, a giggle near the end of your voice. Odds are if anyone were to hear, you’d be downright scolded for joking with  _ Michael _ of all patients - playing with fire in their eyes, no doubt. It would probably only be worse if they heard you talking poorly about a higher up. You weren’t worried about either of those situations though, as you doubted you’d be overheard unless you spoke  _ much _ louder than now. You were keeping quiet on purpose, both with that thought in mind and for the sake of Michael. You weren’t sure but something about him struck you in such a way that you just felt you should keep quiet and gentle to the best of your abilities. Perhaps it was the body language you had seen prior or maybe even that blank, almost tired looking gaze you had momentarily seen.

 

He didn’t respond to your joke but you didn’t mind. At the very least it was neutral. He wasn’t already bothered by what you were saying. Regardless, you didn’t feel like you should press further just yet on the subject of Loomis. Instead, you changed tactics. “When I first came in I noticed the masks on the wall. I didn’t get a perfect look at them, though - is it okay for me to look? I won’t look over on your side of the room, I promise.”  Two slow, cautious knocks. Unlike before though, he seemed to realize they needed to be close enough together for you to register it was a yes, and you smiled before thanking him once again. You hoped you weren’t thanking him  _ too _ much. Was that even possible? Really, you just didn’t want to come off as patronizing. For the time being you figured you may as well not worry about it too much - he didn’t  _ show _ any signs of minding, anyway.

 

You let your eyes wander the area in front of you and to your right, purposefully avoiding looking to the left as you had promised. The walls and even the pipe fixture above his desk was practically  _ covered _ in masks - masks much more colorful than you really would have expected to be made from a man like him. The way some of the masks were so high up only further showed you just how tall he even was, too - it was  _ almost _ enough to be intimidating. Not quite, but almost. Michael made no sounds as you looked around the limited area you had, and you half wondered just how closely he might have been observing you. Was he making sure you would stick to your promise? Was he curious? You almost wished you could ask him but knew that now was probably far too soon for his comfort and you were determined to respect that.

 

“You’re very talented, you know. They seem really well made, given the materials you’re able to use. The colors are really nice on them, too. It’s amazing just how unique they all seem to be.” You quieted for a moment as you continued to look from your seated position, waiting just in case he gave any form of response. When you received none and decided you weren’t getting one, you continued. “You know, I really do mean it. I used to do similar things when I was younger. Crafts and things, I mean. I know these masks are probably more important to you than that, of course. I just remember how I tried to put little things together but they either came apart too easily, or I forgot to let paint dry before adding another color… The list goes on.” You giggled quietly to yourself as you basked in the memories, even forgetting just who you were talking to in that time. In your mind, you may as well have been chatting with any other person over lunch.

 

You couldn’t quite help yourself from wishing for that to have been the case, if only for Michael’s sake. Did he have any belief in himself? Did he  _ know _ he had talent? After all, it wasn’t like he had many materials to begin with given just where he was - yet he made do quite easily it seemed. Still you knew that it was very unlikely that anyone genuinely complimented anything he did - maybe as a child they did, you wouldn’t know that far back. Just judging by how he was treated and talked about now, though…  _ That’s fine. If no one else will, then I will. _

 

“Do you think you could show me how you make them, sometime? I’d really love to see. Maybe you could teach me.” Though you had expected one knock,  _ maybe _ two if you were lucky, you were a bit surprised to hear three. A bit quieter and very obviously less assured than some of the previous responses.  _ He wants me to elaborate?  _ It was only then that it registered that odds were, no one had actively taken an interest in anything he did. At least, not in a positive way. Though it wasn’t the first and certainly wouldn’t be the last time, you felt your heart break just a little and wished you could have done more and done it sooner.  _ At least he’s giving me a chance now, I think… _

 

“You don’t have to right away. You don’t have to at all, actually. I promised I won’t make you do anything you aren’t comfortable with and I’ll stick to that. I just genuinely want to see you with your hobbies. Plus, I really think I could learn a bit from you, if you were willing to show me someday. Even  _ if _ I had been good at these things as a kid, it’s been a very long time since I’ve been able to enjoy anything overly creative.” You hesitated for a moment and, not wanting to come off as too pressuring, decided to cut your rambling off there. “You don’t have to decide now. You don’t have to decide at all, really. I’ll leave it to you, okay? If you ever want to show me during visits, I’ll always be happy to watch.”

 

Before you could recieve any indication that he had heard you, there were a few sharp knocks at the door, nearly making you jump out of your skin at the sudden sound. It was obvious to you it wasn’t Michael because of  _ how _ loud it was. “One moment!” You called out just loud enough for them to hear, though still trying to keep your voice on the softer side. You hoped that they couldn’t hear the hint of a sigh behind your words.

 

“Well… I suppose it’s time I go before they  _ drag _ me out.” It was only half a joke, really - the last thing you needed was them barging in thinking the worst.  _ Now for the moment of truth. _ “Would it be okay for me to visit you again, Michael? If you want to be left alone, I understand. I won’t be offended. It’s up to you - yes or no.” You waited for his answer, remaining seated. You weren’t going to move until you got it. It wasn’t out of any stubborn reasoning - you simply didn’t want to be rude and get up to leave before he had the chance to answer you properly. The silence was longer than before, only further reminding you just how cautious he probably was deep down. Sure, he was big and intimidating and could probably tear your arm from its socket or worse, if he wanted to. That didn’t mean he could hide  _ everything _ from you, even if you didn’t let on.

 

_ Guess I can’t blame him, anyway. Not with how he’s been treated before. _ The only thing that managed to snap you out of your thoughts were two knocks. Slow, hesitant, but sturdy. Had it not been on the quieter side you would have thought it was the door again. Your heart felt lighter upon receiving the answer, and you murmured a gentle, “Thank you so much, Michael. I really do believe that-” Abruptly, you were cut off by the harsher knocks at the door that caused you to half sigh, half hiss under your breath. “I’m sorry, Michael. I’ll be back as soon as I can - hopefully tomorrow. Please, try to have a good rest of your day okay?” 

 

Finally, you stood up and turned around more to your right than your left - even now, you were being sure to keep your promise of not looking at him as asked. After all, he made the effort to respond to you even with his wrists shackled. This was the least you could do. By your word at the door, you were practically  _ forced _ out by one of the guards before the door shut behind you.  _ I’m so sorry. _

 

The door had barely shut before Loomis started looking you over, as if to be sure you weren’t missing any limbs. Of course you knew it wasn’t actually that drastic - or at least, so you hoped. Either way, his distrusting gaze bothered you even more. Had you not been so patient for the sake of the job and for people as a whole you no doubt would have snapped at him by now. Once he realized there was nothing physically wrong that he could  _ see _ , he spoke up. “Are you alright? What happened while you were in there?”

 

“I’m fine and, sorry, that’s confidential. I’m not a nurse that’s going to gossip about those under my care.” The slight edge to your voice seemed to shock him and to a degree, it even surprised you. Still, you held firm. “Not to be blunt, but I’d like to continue looking after him. He’s very pleasant to speak to.” Loomis continued to look stunned, but before he could say more, you continued, “No, he did not speak. That’s not important. You said there were no other overly willing nurses, right? So there shouldn’t be a problem in me continuing with him into the future.”

 

Though Loomis hated to admit it, deep down he knew that you were right.  _ You _ knew that  _ he _ knew you were right, if his tired expression gave anything away. Which you were quick to realize, it very much did. You couldn’t help but smile once he began to speak again. “Very well. If he starts  _ any _ trouble whatsoever though, you’re done. Understood?” Your smile slightly faded at the end of his words. What, did that mean you were his last chance at any decent company? That was just cruel. Still, you couldn’t back out now - if you did, he’d just lose that company even faster and you knew it. Remaining steadfast in your intentions, you nodded quickly. 

 

“I understand, so long as you understand no more sedation around me. He’s not a wild animal, and while under my care I expect he be treated like a  _ person. _ ” Loomis didn’t answer your demand, though you heard the resolved sigh. Of course you knew Michael would probably still be sedated while you weren’t around or while being transported - sadly, there was nothing you could do about that. Maybe in time you could? At least, so you hoped.

 

“Go on home. If you’re going to be caring for Michael, you need to think long and hard about it first. He will require your full attention and I expect you to stick with it if you continue. No other patients. Just him.” Loomis didn’t wait for you to respond before walking back down the hall, his steps sounding louder than they actually were on the bleached white tile. You stood in place for a moment as his words echoed in your mind. Was he trying to use that as a  _ threat? _ As if that were a  _ punishment? _ You fumbled for your phone in your purse to check the time, realizing you had been in the room far longer than you originally thought. Time didn’t mean much in the silence of those rooms, you supposed. You huffed softly to yourself as you did as you were told, trying to keep some dignity in your step despite your irritation. Fine then. You would go home and not even bother to think about it - you were hellbent on your self-assigned mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slight delay! I'm still very motivated for this, I've just been a bit on the off side emotionally lately due to nerves. This upcoming month (February) is going to be a very difficult one for me, for a variety of reasons I won't really go into as it's not super important to anyone but me probably.
> 
> I want to say thank you again though to those of you that have read so far and are continuing to do so! I was stunned when I went from 200ish hits to over 1,000 in a single night - I have no idea how that happened or why, but I'm so excited nonetheless! I hope this chapter meets expectations!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, all! I want to deeply apologize for how long I sometimes go between chapters. I was quick for them in the start but unfortunately, I have a lot of issues that tend to burn my energy very quickly and for varying lengths of time. As I've stated elsewhere, please know I will never abandon this! If for some reason I ever do, I'd write up a note about it and publish it so it's known as well as write it in the summary itself. So unless you see something like that, this will never die, I promise! 
> 
> I want to thank everyone for their comments, too. Even through my time of struggling to write, every new comment, kudos, etc that I've received has brought me so much happiness. I haven't felt quite so supported in such a long time, and your support means the absolute world to me as someone with a passion for writing. I'd like to address a few things in these notes before I get started as well, but everything past this point you can feel free to skip if you'd like!
> 
> Someone in the comments, a bit ago, mentioned donating. I'll be honest, I've debated putting up my ko-fi link, but I worry about doing so for a multitude of reasons. One being how horribly sporadic my writing actually is, when it comes to putting up chapters. I'm worried that, in doing so, it will come off as me more or less 'running away with money' for lack of better words, or doing the bare minimum. The last thing I want is for someone to believe that it's mandatory or feel pressured, only to end up feeling like they get next to nothing in return. If you believe it would be okay for me to put it up (just with a heavy disclaimer reminding others of my emotional/energy burnouts), please let me know. Otherwise, I'll probably brush it off and not worry others with it.
> 
> Second, I'd love to tell everyone I appreciate their ideas for this story! One of them (which was briefly mentioned in this chapter, in fact) I already had the idea for, and had been teetering on using it. I wasn't sure if it would come off as silly or not, so having the confirmation that someone else thought of it too really helped me to push out this chapter and feel more confident in it. So thank you! Thank you all again for your welcoming, your support, and you patience as I continue. I love and adore all of you, and I hope that I can make you all proud. <3
> 
> ***

The drive home was, frankly, very uneventful. By that time the sun had long risen so at the very least you were able to drive a bit easier. The fog had long been driven away, and now you had a bit more to look at if you so chose to. Truthfully though you had no wish to do so, instead focusing your eyes entirely on the road in a subtle glare. How  _ dare _ a so called “professional” try to threaten you with a  _ patient?  _ Patients were not meant to be some sort of bargaining tool. Had it not been a possible detriment to your job, you would have  _ loved _ to chew him out.

 

By the time you had arrived home, you were absolutely  _ fuming _ . You couldn’t help but argue with the man internally - after all if you didn’t get the words out  _ somehow _ , you weren’t too sure you’d be able to keep them to yourself when you returned the next day. Maybe you would have considered that worth risking the job, if it weren’t for Michael. Even in your anger, you knew your pride wasn’t worth it with him on the line. He  _ needed _ you, you knew it deep down. Maybe he didn’t realize it, and you certainly weren’t going to suggest it to him or anyone else. You knew, though. No one else felt safe with him, no one else even seemed to treat him as anything more than subhuman on a  _ good _ day. If you didn’t stick through this, then who knows when someone else would even consider giving him a chance.

 

Once you had parked, you pressed your forehead to the wheel and closed your eyes. You felt  _ exhausted _ suddenly. Perhaps it was due to the adrenaline of your anger dying down? Mixed with the early shift and the boring drive home, it wouldn’t surprise you if that was it. Truthfully, you wanted nothing more in that moment to just go inside, shut the curtains, and take a very,  _ very _ long nap. How long did Loomis want you to “think about” all of this anyway? He never did give you an actual time limit. Was he just hoping his horrible stance on the matter would somehow magically sink in and you would call in,  _ begging _ to not have to see Michael? Well, if he had hoped for that, he was going to be extremely disappointed. You groaned softly as the irritation began to bubble inside of you again, and you forced the thoughts away as you sat back up, gathered your things, and exited the vehicle. 

 

As you fumbled with your keys and entered your home, you at least knew he was right about  _ one _ thing. You needed to have a clear mind when you went back. Not for any danger to yourself - you were not afraid of Michael. If that was the last thing to happen to you then so be it, but you weren’t going to treat him with this kind of disrespect. No, you needed it so Michael wouldn’t  _ realize _ what kind of state you were in. You knew emotions could transfer while in company, depending on the person. You didn’t have enough of a handle on how he was yet, and you really didn’t want to upset him while he was in your care. You wanted his experience with you to be lighter, and hopefully, a more calming experience he could learn to look forward to in time. You just needed to sit down and think about how you could make this a more positive experience for him.

 

Once safely inside, you tossed your things onto the surface (thankfully, that was your couch), before heading into the kitchen to make something to eat. In truth, you didn’t quite feel like eating - your stomach still felt like it was in knots from the somersaults your annoyance had put you though - but you still knew that you needed to. You settled on a simple sandwich and some water. Sure, it wasn’t a  _ delicacy _ by any means, but it would do. As you ate, you thought over the days events in your mind. To some it probably didn’t seem like much happened, but already it gave you a huge sense of accomplishment. He had responded to you and that was much further than you had expected to get with what everyone else had been telling you.

 

Why did they think he was such a lost cause? He obviously showed signs of compliance, at least to you. Why did everyone else have such a horrible perception of him? Why was everyone so  _ afraid _ of him?  _ Okay, stupid question. _ He  _ had _ killed before. He apparently still showed some signs of aggression too, and his silence and unwillingness to talk probably put him in an even worse light.  _ Still, shouldn’t they realize that what they’re doing is just cementing his personality?  _ If they continued to treat him as a monster, and force  _ others _ to have that perspective of him from the start… all that would do is force him into the role. Psychology was a fickle thing, and you knew even the most ironclad minds could bend or snap with enough mental torment or brainwashing, regardless of if it was intentional or not.

 

_ Well, then it’s up to me, isn’t it?  _ You would never claim to be the one to  _ save _ him - your job wasn’t to change anyone or even play hero. Your job was to help him find ways to cope, help him find something,  _ anything,  _ that he could find good in. The first step of that would be gaining his trust. No matter what you did, nothing would stick if he didn’t trust you. That in itself would no doubt be an arduous task, but you had hope for him. 

 

With new resolve flowing through you, you hurriedly finished your meal, throwing the paper plate away and taking your bottle of water up the stairs with you. You didn’t feel quite so tired anymore, and you had  _ plenty _ that you wanted to do before you slept. Settling into your desk, you grabbed the nearest paper and pen that you could find.

 

You wanted to make a list of ideas and activities you wanted to do in hopes of gaining trust from your patient, and there was  _ a lot _ that you could think of. There were many things that you figured you could try that, odds were, he hadn't been given the chance of or shown before. One of the most important as far as you were concerned was showing an _ interest _ in his own interests. Sure, you had hinted to him earlier that you were curious, but you also knew that anyone could say anything and that wouldn’t mean it was true. You had to actively make it clear that you supported them so long as they harmed no one. As far as you knew, those masks weren’t made out of flesh considering how colorful they were, so you were more than happy to oblige him in it. The more you thought it over, the harder it as to just sit and write out your list - you wanted to get startled  _ immediately _ and by the time you  _ had _ finished, you were practically ready to dash straight out of your home.

 

“Well then. First thing’s first!” You chirped to yourself, a smile spreading across your features as you finally allowed yourself to push the list to the top of your desk, once again leaving the room, and trotting downstairs. You wasted no time in scooping up your keys once again and heading out, bottle of water already forgotten.

 

* * *

 

One thing you probably should have accounted for or at  _ least _ considered was just how… difficult this plan was. Inside the craft store, you scanned the aisles what must have been half a dozen times, not quite able to make sense out of anything inside. It wasn’t quite that you had  _ no clue _ what you were doing, just… very little of a clue. It was only made more difficult being unsure what Loomis would permit inside Michael’s room. Sure, some things were extremely obvious - nothing sharp was a given.  _ Though a man that big could probably make a weapon out of the flimsiest paintbrush… _ You thought to yourself. Of course you weren’t about to tell Loomis that. Michael’s life was bad enough, right now, without what seemed to be his only hobby possibly being taken from him too. Still, you had the money to spare… why not pick up as much as you could? He could just have whatever the staff would allow. 

 

Unable to help the smile that spread across your features, you  _ may _ have went a bit overboard. All sorts of different bottles of paint, different sizes and kinds of brushes, materials to make new and different kinds of masks, a mold or two for shapes… You were glad you picked up a small hand basket, because by the time you were done even  _ that _ had been filled nearly to the brim. When you got to the counter, the cashier, an older lady, noticed your smile and returned it. 

 

“Really into crafts? Or are your kids?” She asked, just trying to make small talk as she scanned the items. Shaking your head, you giggled quietly, “No kids, and not yet. I’m definitely trying to learn, though.” Seemingly pleased with your answer, the woman nodded, finishing the scanning. You were thankful that no one else was in line yet, if only due to the number of items you had. Once you paid, you cheerfully wished the woman a good rest of the afternoon and headed back to your car. This trip had certainly proved to be  _ far _ more expensive than you anticipated, but… it was worth it for the quality. At least Michael would have plenty to work with, right? As you were driving home, the intense urge to visit the behavioral ward nearly overwhelmed you - you could hardly wait to give these to him and your excitement was bursting through your mind, but you resisted. You knew that Loomis probably wouldn’t let you back today. 

  
_ That’s fine. In the morning, I’ll give Michael his gifts. Finally, he’ll actually get something good from someone trying to work with him. _ You sincerely hoped he didn’t end up thinking you were just trying to bribe him - quiet or not, he had a sense of intelligence about him that you couldn’t quite explain. An intelligence you had never quite witnessed before. You figured he’d be able to tell the difference between a bribe and a genuine, no strings attached gift, though, so the worry was rather fleeting as the excitement took hold once again. By the time you arrived back home from the fourth long drive of the day and got inside, it was time to get settled in for the night. It was still early in the evening, but you had an early day ahead of you tomorrow. Even with the excitement threatening to keep you up most of the night, by the time you showered and got settled in, sleep was quick to take you under.


End file.
